Description

City Lights is one of many moderate classics on this section of the cliff: Son of Easy O(5.8), Frog's Head (5.6), Maria (5.6+), Baby (5.6), and Pas de Deux (5.8) are all close by. You could spend the whole day climbing in this area, moving from one classic to the next.

With a short approach and several bolted anchors, this area is very popular. Fortunately, with so many great routes, at least one should be free to climb.

From the Uberfall, walk about 2.5 minutes down the carriage road, past the big corner and roof of Matinee, to a huge boulder just below the cliff. Take the marked access trail just below the striking, widening crack of Baby, and angle up right to the cliff. This will take you to the base of the cliff near City Lights and Frog's Head.

Spot a large oak tree right next to the cliff; City Lights starts behind the tree, at a thin crack with a triangular pod about 20' up.

P1: Climb the thin crack and make a slippery move into the pod on polished rock (crux). Continue to a ledge, move left and climb a right-facing flake. Continue up the face, trending left, following the easiest line (or traverse right about 20', then head upwards, at a similar grade and protection). Aim for a small overhang to a small ledge and a 2-bolt anchor. 5.8-, 80'.

P2: Move left and climb a steep right-facing corner to its top. Continue up the face above to a 2-bolt anchor on a good ledge. 5.7, 90'.

Climbed p2 straight up from the anchors instead of out left.. was a bit dirty, but i felt it kept the grade 7 or 8- with decent gear. Pitch 1 was fun, and super exciting as the bottom crux was sopping wet!

Great climb, low crux is easy for me. Not sure I like the middle third run out. It's easy climbing, but, I do like my gear.

After leading this several times, I realize that the run out is on very easy terrain. I can usually find a C3 placement somewhere along the way. I really enjoy both pitches of this climb. P2 has a really, nice, exposed move as you transfer from the corner to the face above.

tricky start and some routefinding on the second pitch. did it all in one pitch, a good exciting pitch for the grade. maybe not the best for someone breaking into the grade, or inexperienced trad climber.

Why would you stem the tree. There are good holds. The move through the pod can be done at 5.7 or also done to be made much harder if you climb straight up or to the right. Staying a hair to the left makes this 5.7.

The legality of tree stemming was always a hot topic at GunksFest (a now defunct climbing event that used to happen every Dec 26th). See tradgirl.com/gunks/paulina.htm for a picture of this highly questionable tactic.

The move at the pod isn't hard, though you can make it hard. I jam and hand-foot match, and it's more like 5.5, but I'm more flexible than most. There's some thin face climbing above, I would give this route a PG.

One thing to note is that the guidebooks do the 2nd pitch differently. Williams has City Lights and Pas de Deux crossing, Swain straights them out - the one stays left, the other stays right for both pitches. Except for PdD's first pitch, it's all 5.6-5.7, so just do whatever doesn't have someone already on it.

Crux is pretty weird the first time but gear is good. Runout in middle section not too enjoyable but the second pitch was really nice. Worth doing but not as classic as some of the other routes on this wall.

I really enjoyed this, though I only did the first pitch - will be back to do the second for sure. I found the move at the bottom hard at first, but agree with others that if you're out left enough, it becomes be easier. I think the next time I won't find it as hard for sure. I grabbed the little crimpers out left and did a huge step with my right foot and jammed it in there. At 5'4" it was a high step for me, but well within reason. I loved this route.